5 June

2003: On 5 June 2003, ESA's Mars Express, three days after launch, performed the crucial operation of releasing the Beagle-2 lander's launch clamps. These clamps were extra attachments that ensure the lander stayed perfectly fixed to the spacecraft during the launch and was not affected by launch vibrations.

The clamp release mechanism was unusual. Usually, launch clamps contain a firework-like mechanism, but Mars Express had a much gentler release mechanism. It consisted of a sleeve over a clamp bolt; an electric current heated the sleeve to about 100°C. At that temperature, the sleeve expanded and the bolt snapped. There were three bolts and they all broke in sequence.

2002: On 5 June 2002, after more than three years of inactivity, the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope's Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) was once again active. NICMOS has to be kept very cold and the coolant had run out.

NICMOS was equipped with a new cryogenic refrigerator in 2001 during a Hubble servicing mission. Test images were released from NICMOS on 5 June 2002 to show it was once again working perfectly.

1927: On 5 June 1927, the 'Society for Space Travel' (Verein für Raumschiffahrt), known as 'VfR' was formed in Breslau, Germany (now Wroclaw, Poland). It was the first organisation whose purpose was to develop rockets to send into space.